The ARCA Menards Series West returned after a month off at Evergreen Speedway to kick off the doubleheader weekend Friday afternoon for the NAPA Auto Parts 100. Blaine Perkins won the pole with a time of 23.389 at 96 mph. His teammate Trevor Huddleston started next to him. There were only eleven cars that competed in this race.
We are 🟢 @EVGSpeedway Who will take the ENEOS/NAPA Auto Parts 100? Follow: 💻 @_TrackPass ⏱ RACE CENTER: https://t.co/Bg4znMtM7a #ARCAMenards • West pic.twitter.com/bm6fni5jJx — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 7, 2020
Perkins immediately got in front of Huddleston. At the same time, Jesse Little followed Perkins on the inside to take second place from Huddleston. Both Little and Huddleston were in a battle for second for three-laps until Huddleston took hold of second place. In another battle, Todd Souza and Gracie Trotter were vying for seventh place. The number 99 Toyota of Trotter would get by Souza to take seventh place, dropping Souza to eighth. Trevor Huddleston closed up on his teammate Blaine Perkins but could not find a way to catch him as Perkins began to put cars a lap down.
On lap 16, Gracie Trotter caught the number 78 Velocity Racing Toyota of Jack Wood to combat him for sixth place. Both drivers would catch the number 50 JBL Toyota of Holley Hollan and battle for fifth place. Meanwhile, there were no changes to the top four. On lap 26, Trotter got by Wood for sixth place before Wood would take the sixth spot back six laps later. Gio Scelzi challenged Jesse Love for third place but was unsuccessful. The first caution of the day would come out on lap 42 for debris in the backstretch.
The race resumed on lap 46 with Perkins leading every lap. Jesse Love and Trevor Huddleston were in a dual for second place before Huddleston would take hold of the position, and Love settled in for third. Gracie Trotter and Jack Wood continued their battle for fifth place as Trotter passed Wood for fifth. Not far behind, Holley Hollan and Todd Souza clashed for seventh as Hollan held on to seventh halfway through the race.
Halfway done at @EVGSpeedway Who will take the ENEOS/NAPA Auto Parts 100? 1⃣ @BlainePerkins21 2⃣ @TrevorHudd50 3⃣ @jesselovejr1 4⃣ @GioScelzi 5⃣ @GracieTrotter11#ARCAMenards • West | @_TrackPass pic.twitter.com/tI0azwFSDr — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 7, 2020
Five laps later, Gracie Trotter made her way to contend for third with Gio Scelzi and Jesse Love. Scelzi remained in third as both Love Trotter were dueling for fourth with 38 laps to go. Upfront, Perkins had a 1.34 second lead on Huddleston. Gracie Trotter would get by Jesse Love with an inside pass at turn one to take fourth place with 35 laps to go. Jack Wood was defending seventh place from Todd Souza with 27 laps to go. Souza would take the seventh spot from Wood.
Just as they were finishing changing positions, Perkins would lap both of the cars with 23 laps to go. The second caution of the day would come out with 18 laps to go for debris. Jack Wood was the only driver to pit during the caution. Perkins would lead the field back to green with 13 laps to go.
How about that restart at @EVGSpeedway! #ARCAMenards • West | @_TrackPass ⏱ RACE CENTER: https://t.co/Bg4znMtM7a pic.twitter.com/IUFvJw4JpN — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 7, 2020
Perkins would get in front of Huddleston once more as Huddleston was holding off Gio Scelzi for the second position. Jesse Love would get the fourth spot back from Gracie Trotter with six laps to go. Upfront, Perkins would lead every lap to win the NAPA Auto Parts 100 by .931 seconds over his teammate Trevor Huddleston. This is Perkins’s second win of the season in the ARCA Menards Series West.
Wire-to-wire.@blainePerkins21 leads every lap to win ENEOS/NAPA Auto Parts 100! pic.twitter.com/UvuOsxAFnJ — ARCA Menards Series (@ARCA_Racing) August 7, 2020
The rest of the top ten finishers were Gio Scelzi third, Jesse Love fourth, Gracie Trotter fifth, Holley Hollan sixth, Todd Souza seventh, Jack Wood eighth one lap down, Takuma Koga ninth two laps down, and Bobby Hillis, Jr. tenth three laps down. There were only two cautions for eight laps.
With the win, Perkins is now just nine points behind leader Jesse Love. Trevor Huddleston and Gracie Trotter are tied for third (-28), Gio Scelzi and Todd Souza are tied for fifth (-36), Holley Hollan is seventh (-50), Takuma Koga eighth (-60), Bobby Hillis, Jr. (-60), and Lawless Alan tenth (-85). The ARCA Menards Series West will conclude the doubleheader Saturday night at Douglas County Speedway for the ENEOS/NAPA Auto Parts 150 at 9:35 pm on NBC Sports Gold Track Pass.
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